A touch of Blood
by StoriesByTheBook
Summary: A story about the drastic effect people can have on each other and the fact that it doesn't matter where your roots lie. The story is situated in the years after the war and the destroying of the Ring This is my first ever published story. I've never done this before (except from some small things i wrote for myself or school-related stuff) So i'm pretty new to this :)
1. Prologue

_Do you see the world, in different colors,_

_Do you see the world in black and grey?_

_Alone in your thoughts, how many other_

_Have stood where you stand, where you stand you today?_

_Have stood where you stand, but all can you…. (Rise against - Wait for me)_

Is it her smile, could it be her lips, curling slightly upwards, towards her eyes. Two instruments, meant to see things others could not. It's not her fault that they're not used for their intended purpose. It's my mistake of looking at them, into them. Seeing past her barriers, looking through her soul.

There's no way to explain the feeling I get whenever I see her, even now, lying next to her, in bed, close to having no clothes on. Nothing happened, except the pulsing of warm air, breathing in my neck. No words were spoken, but an eternity of feelings and stories were shared as our souls tangled each other. Like our legs. We had no answer, nor solutions, we barely even knew the questions.

I came from a farmer's family, no riches, no fame, just our crops. I've never been the son my father wanted me to be, having two older brothers I didn't see the purpose of participating in the perpetual cycle of harvesting, and replanting. One day, whilst slacking off I found myself on a hill, under an oak tree. Commotion came from downhill. A school. Future knights, ready to serve under the new king, Aragorn, son of Arathorn. Although dark times have settled, the newfound kingdom remains exhausted, bad things continue to happen, and revolts of orc tribes kept happening.

That day, my life started, reborn I became when Ilidrien, First knight of the 4th legion of knights, found me under that oak tree. A farmers boy, learning to handle swords, accompanied by high classed lords and ladies. What Ilidrien saw in me, I still wonder. I left my family behind, no farewells, no goodbyes, not even a note.

Over the months that passed by I became more proficient with my sword. But nothing changed the fact that I was a farmers boy, I wasn't born royal, not a single noble in my family. In a group of 24 fellow apprentices, all in some way connected to the noble 7, a collection of 7 families, sworn to serve the king. It's not that I was bullied, but they didn't see the shame on picking on me sometimes. She did though, she saw what others couldn't. Sophiën, daughter of Aragorn and Arwen, Brother of Eldarion, Heir to the throne of the reunited kingdom. Well, Eldarion is the official Heir, but I always considered her to be, she has the qualities Eldarion misses. Although the differences between me and her were the largest in our group. We also had the most resemblances . Not that I could ever tell her, Sophiën born the noblest of any girls, me born as a no-good farmers son . She always felt something for me, I'm not sure if it's pity, or something deeper. Sometimes she would even stand up for me, when the others started picking on me. No one would talk back to her, afraid of the royal blood, flowing through her veins.

Although she was the most respected 16 year old knight in the kingdom, she wasn't accepted by the group. Being famous, comes with a bad side I suppose. But I wasn't famous, I was nobody, I am nobody, still I wasn't accepted. This is the reason why we were training partners most of the time. No one wanted to prove their skill to "the farmers boy", it was more of a shame to fight me than it was to talk to me. No one wanted to fight Sophiën, afraid something might happen to them.

In the beginning I stood no chance, weeks went on, I found my face buried in the dirt, others laughing. Sophiën without a twitch on her clean face. As months went on, one day I nailed her to the floor. Faces looked at me, afraid of what might happen, as I saw the fear trembling in their eyes. I realized that I had just hit the daughter of King Aragorn. I turned around and saw her face, eyes open, Unbelief radiated from her face, although she didn't let anyone see, I could feel it.

She had never stared at me this way before. A cold chill raced down my spine as she stood up and stepped forward. Expecting the worst, she took my hand and shook it. Time stopped, my fingers feeling hers, a spark of a feeling I had never experienced before, shot through my hand into my head, she felt it too, I could tell.

After our duel, she started talking to me, sometimes. She would tell me about how she feels like an outcast, at home, she was looked down upon because she wasn't the lady at home like her older sisters. Here she was looked down upon in fear, because she was of royal blood. How she could understand my situation, my decision of leaving my family behind.

Months passed, the end of the season crawled in from the south. Cold winds started chilling and days became shorter. It were the last weeks of training, soon Ilidrien would pick 5 apprentices and promote them to knights, and send them to Aragorn for a full ceremony. Many looked forward to proving themselves, so they could become knights, so they could meet Aragorn, so they would find fame in serving the kingdom. I didn't know if becoming knight was what I wanted, I had a good life traveling around while training. Sophiën sometimes woke up in the middle of the night, bathing in sweat, the fear of seeing those whom she had left behind.

I woke up of a silent scream, I looked around and saw her, trembling. And although it wasn't allowed, I couldn't handle the fact that my friend, my only friend would have to feel bad. I moved over to her bed, and proceeded to crawl next to her. No words were spoken, but an eternity of feelings and stories were shared as our souls tangled each other. Like our legs. We had no answer, nor solutions, we barely even knew the questions.

She looked up into my eyes, followed up by the soft touch of her lips meeting mine. A few seconds seemed like years, years I would want to stay with her. Three words slipped her mouth. Three words no one could understand, but still felt like they were the only thing that mattered in this world.

I love you.

Wait for me.

My name is Iono, the year is 16 of the fourth age. This is my story.


	2. Chapter 1

_I dug seeking treasure_

_Just to wake up in an early grave_

_So I stopped right there and said_

_Go on alone, cause I won't follow (Rise Against- This is letting go)_

Two days have passed since we kissed, two days have brought me closer to the idea that Sophiën might be the person I want to stay with, for the rest of my life. My life, one that would be shorter than hers, good in a way that I wouldn't have to witness her suffering more. Sophiën was born out of Dunédain and Half-Elf, both known to survive longer than humans. Humans like me.

Although we were the happiest when we were together, Sophiën and I decided not to let the others know. It would only cause more problems than we had. Royal blood being in love with a nobody, it was better to avoid people talking. However this didn't change the fact that we were still training partners. Two weeks from now king Aragorn would inspect the recruits, and choose five of the finest students to become full knights. Normally he would send a servant, a representative, but since Sophiën was his daughter, he would make the exception of coming himself. Two weeks from now I would have to prove myself to the most important man in the entire kingdom, not only my courage or strength in battle, but perhaps also that I am worthy of being with Sophiën.

Her golden hair, softly curling, waving in the wind, reaching her shoulders. Her eyes, a deep blue-ish green, capable of staring through mine. Her ears close to her head, pointy at the end, hearing even the slightest vibration in my voice. "Go on, hit me." I shouted at her, while smoothly dodging a smack of her wooden blade. "Be careful what you wish for Iono," she provoked "you just might get it." And with a swift move of her legs, and a strong swipe of her weaponless arm I found myself lying on the soft, muddy ground. As she swept her sword down to my throat, I raised mine to hers. The feeling of raw, bulky wood pressed to my flesh. The feeling of raw, bulky wood pressed to her flesh. Even know, we knew exactly how the other felt. A draw, yet again. Is she holding back? Am I holding back? No, although we were lovers, in front of the eyes Ilidrien we could very well be Gandalf and Saruman, willing nothing more than to watch each others blood spill.

"Very well Iono, Sophiën" a voice spoke, it was Ilidrien, who had watched our duel. It seemed that lately he had gained more interest in me, or Sophiën, or maybe in the both of us. "You two have worked enough for today, you can have some rest."

Sophiën and I proceeded to head towards our camp, but when out of sight, turned to the left to sit under a tree, next to a small pond, filled with lily pads, green leaves, shining silver petals. It's a place we found after our realization of connection. And since we wouldn't be leaving this place until King Aragorn visited, it would remain our secret spot. "I'm glad to have you" Sophiën said. "So am I." I responded, not knowing what else I could possibly say, I was new to these kind of things. She smiled and came closer to me, crawling in my open arms, her lips softly pressing against my hand, my lips softly kissing her hair.

"It's a shame" she sadly said. "What do you mean?" I asked her. "Two weeks from now, we will not be able to see each other anymore." Sophiën said. "But- why?, I don't understand?" I asked her, my voice cracked while trying to say why, out of sadness, misunderstanding. "I am a kings daughter, a young princess, you're a farmers boy, it's impossible, it's not allowed." "But.." I wept. "I know, it's not fair, but the world works differently. It's not like you didn't see this coming Iono."

I pulled myself away from her, I raised my voice as I looked at her and shouted: "You knew this all along, why did you even try, why would you do this to me, I thought we had something special Sophie!" Sophie, it's what I like to call her, it fits her, she is not the most official of people, she liked to live alternatively, she left her home to become a knight after all. I knew she was right, I should've seen this coming, it's obvious that things like this will not have a happy ending, but it was nice hanging on to. I stood up and stubborn as I was I left her under the tree, at the pond, the pond with the lily pads. In the distance I heard her saying: "This isn't giving up, this is letting go."

We didn't talk for three more days, we didn't eat anything together, didn't meet up at our secret spot. Not even a smile, just to let each other know that it's going to be alright. Time had come for another training duel, between Sophiën and I of course. No initial words were spoken. She opened the duel with a hit on my arm, just a little harder than needed, followed up by a kick on my thigh. A venomous move, It felt like my entire left side was crippled, my arm, my leg, my heart. She was mad at me, that she made very clear. I dodged her next attack by sidestepping , predicted her next swipe and used my elbow to punch her arm away, next I stabbed my wooden sword in her stomach. Two can play this game I thought to myself. She noticed that I wasn't going to play this fair and decided not to give in. Somehow she hit my hand with her sword, making me drop mine. I tried shouting the usual "Go on, hit me" Which she didn't take quite as well as I had hoped. She started kicking me while I was on the ground. Once, twice, but before her foot could find my chest for the third time I grabbed it and pushed her out of balance. I continued to tumble into her, she fell, hit her head against the soft, muddy ground.

Ilidrien, who again was watching us closely, decided to end our fight. "Stop it you two" he shouted "I don't know what has happened between you, but you're not fighting to learn, you're fighting to hurt each other. This is not how a knight acts, I want you two to go for a walk and think about what is going on." And without looking at anyone I threw my sword away and walked into a forest, Sophiën walked the other way. It would be better this way.

During this walk I came to my senses, I realized that Sophiën was not my enemy, that she didn't deserve to be treated like this. I came back to camp, to find out everyone was about to get to bed. So I crawled on mine, I'd apologize tomorrow, after a good knight's rest.

I woke up after a good sleep. Later than usual, everyone was already up and awake, there was a lot of commotion outside. I got dressed and went outside, what I saw I couldn't describe. A new tent had arrived, the brightest white I had ever seen, the most impulsive decorations I could imagine. Horses were scattered around, knights in shining armor, wielding the sign of Gondor and the reunited Kingdom. I saw Sophiën, hugging a man with black hair, Aragorn, son of Arathorn had arrived a week early. I didn't know what to do, I asked Ilidrien what happened. "King Aragorn arrived late this night, he has other places to be and didn't want to miss out on the chance of seeing his daughter" he told me.

I joined the others in line while King Aragorn, accompanied by Sophiën greeted and met all of the recruits. After greeting me, my eyes crossed with Sophie, a smile emerged on my face, and also on hers, just for a brief moment, but I know it was there. Our personal vendetta had disappeared, No words were spoken.

"You are 25 of the most promising young knights, over the next couple of days there will be a tournament to determine your skills, and to learn of your virtues" King Aragorn told us. "Five of you will join me back to Gondor where you will be officially knighted."

I passed through the tournament without any problems, I ended up in second place. Sophiën being first. I can't blame her for winning, she fought with more determination than I had expected, she deserved winning this. "Sophiën, Iono, Glorindel, Kantorn and Bolmir" Aragorn said "You are according to my beliefs the worthy 5 of becoming knights of our reunited kingdom." We were looked upon with jealousy and disbelief, but what did it matter, in a few days I would be officially knighted.

"However, there is one final task each one of you must fulfill, south of here lies the river Ithriën, it's an ancient river where elves used to pray and talk to nature. You will each spend an entire night kneeled in this river, while thinking about your past life, and what the future will bring. This way you shall be cleansed of impurity and be set on your way of becoming a true knight. There is one rule, you must remain kneeled for the entire knight, no one moves, no one leaves the river, for no reason"

The sun went down and the five of us followed king Aragorn down to the river, I couldn't find the courage to speak to Sophie, but that didn't matter, I was sure I could talk to her later, on the journey to Gondor. We arrived at the river and received a sword. "Kneel next to this sword like it is your only way to redemption, as soon it might well be" Those were Aragorns last words before leaving us here.

I kneeled down, next to the blade, which shined in the light of the falling dusk, wondering what wonders the night might bring.


End file.
